Who Are My Friends?

I have an amazing collective of people in my circle, from different seasons and lifelong friends. My hope is this gives you an opportunity to think, who are YOUR friends?

I want to go through some of the people that make up my friendship circles from different periods of life and I hope for you to take note of your circle as well. It isn’t a bad thing if some friendship periods are over, whether or not there was any malice or just time, distance and interests changing. Friends are put in your life for a reason- to learn, to grow and to support. Think about the different phases you’ve been through, who those people were and either mentally on actually thank them for being there for you in that period of time.

Friends From Before I Have Memories

Thank goodness our mother’s were so into scrapbooking when we were young right?! Pages full of train trips, church events and birthday parties. My lifelong friends who have been around since childhood all come from growing up in church. Jessica and David are examples of my longest and most consistent friends. I owe so much to them for being a constant presence in my life, throughout every phase. They get the familial story and the history that friends who come and go throughout the years may never know. The early years are a commonality and I’m so glad that we have been fortunate to grow and adapt for going on 30 years. These people are the lifeblood of who I am and always dependable if I need someone.

School Age Friends

I personally went to two different elementary schools, so my friend story here has a break in it. While many friendships form in elementary school and continue through until high school graduation I wasn’t able to have a similar story. The friends garnered in early school age are great for learning and lessons, the first friend fights and unfairness. Sleepovers, tetherball and extra curricular activities that help shape who you’re going to be.

My shoutout here is the group of friends I gained starting sophomore year of high school. A group of girls (and a few guys) that have become such a fierce support system for each other. High school is not roses and I still harbor a few regrets from juvenile attitudes and stupid behaviors. (Don’t we all?! Please tell me I’m not alone here.) This crew really was a solid pack of people who were so dependable and thank goodness I had them to go through high school with. I’m fortunate to also still be friends with this group, a few more have been brought into the folds and I’m forever blessed that we could grow together and still be apart of each other’s lives.

College Friends – Sorority Sisters

What a transforming time for everyone, am I right? It may be the first time you move away from home, being completely responsible for your own meals, the freedom of not having to go to class! I mean, you should’ve gone to class, but you had the choice not to. Navigating making friends in college is fascinating, starting with your roommates, classmates, then growing from there. I was so fortunate that my college experience included joining a sorority. I met phenomenal women in my sorority and had opportunities for bonding and forming a true sisterhood. What’s great about sororities, and I’m painting a broad stroke here, is that there are SO many different interests. Even staying connected through social media and seeing where life takes these women is incredible. Man did we have FUN in college.

Through the sorority I met an amazing and diverse group of girls, some became best friends. I was fortunate to live in a house with 4 other girls and we had a really really fun time, that house was constantly filled with laughter. Growing together, having jobs, breakups, gaining responsibilities, doing our best to graduate on time and figure out what life looks like on the other side. There is something so special about this time and these girls. I feel like college was a bubble and I was the luckiest to have the best women on my team.

Early Career and Couple Friends

It’s crazy transitioning into the “real world” after college. Life becomes centered around working, or finding a job, getting into a new rhythm, probably looking for a life partner if you haven’t already found them. Hopefully you’re in a position where you have access to work friends, people to go to happy hour with and strategize a raise or job move. I lived from home for a few years and this was another period that I had a lot of FUN. Having a disposable income for the first time, making that transition into adulthood, this also happens to be when wedding season start occurring and a LOT of money and scheduling goes to those events.

This phase of life is when I met my husband, it was great to make friends with other couples, going on dates, hanging out in groups, traveling and enjoying life. This is the pre-baby phase and hopefully was/is a carefree time in your life. It was for me and I loved being in this phase and these friends.

Cross Country Move – Totally New Friends

The friends I have made during this phase are extremely powerful because life prioritized itself. Not many people will experience this, a total uproot, a major move and change. I do think we all go through phases where friends aren’t always solidified or it’s hard to make connections and this is when it happened for me. My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I made a decision to move across the country. I’ve never once regretted this decision but I was leaving behind a very full social calendar and massive group of friends. For a period of time until I got a job outside of my house it was very lonely and difficult. Read more about how I made friends after moving here!

The friends I’ve gained in Savannah, and the friendships I’ve strengthened after being away from “home” for 5 (ish) years are priceless. These are my “adult friends” the ones that we have dinners together, happy hours, hobbies and talk financial investing. I’m an active member of a church that has a wonderful group of people that are becoming amazing friends. I also made a lot of entrepreneur friends in this phase which is so important in my development of ideas and businesses and supporting them. The friend’s I’ve made in Savannah have become my family and I’m so blessed.

The List Goes On…

The next phase of life will happen, as most of my friend’s are already having babies. Mom Friends is what the next phase of life brings. I’ve definitely already targeted some future mom friends, people to raise children with, celebrate potty training and support on hard days.

What phase of life are you in? And what phases haven’t I hit yet? It’s exciting to think that life keeps evolving just as our friends do, it’s not sad it’s joyous that you get important people to share life with!